Combat Mission or wait for something else?

[MengJiao]

Also -- and I seem to be the only person who thinks this -- but I really think the UI in Mius Front is excellent -- *far* better than CMx2's incredibly clunky UI, which is badly in need of an update. Graviteam Tactic's UI is strange, in that it's not really like anything else you'll see in other games. But once you figure it out, it's actually a very flexible, elegant tool.

  I agree with you.  GT is odd at first, but I find it more immersive (not really the question here) and lately I've been playing it much more than CM2.

[RyanE]

I find the GT interface complex, but very good.  The game has a lot more detailed options like posture, reaction, etc. that require a more detailed menu system.  To me, its not the interface that is hard to master, but the large number of options available to manage units.  If people remember, a lot of people starting out with CM also complain about the complexity of the CM system.

[Destraex]

The whole problem for me with GT is their is no potential human interaction. Period.
I just think single player is boring in this kind of game. I am so used to human interaction in games now.
Sometimes a game grabs me so hard that single player is worth it... I will put mius front on my steam sale wish list though. If just for a comparison to operation star.
I found operation star too confusing to see what was going on and everything seemed very small scale even though it is 1:1 iirc. I mean things like 3 Bren carriers assaulting and platoon of infantry. Everything just seems so tiny in GT games. I dunno. they really need a zoom system like the Eugen guys have.

[Con]

I haven't played in some time but two examples spring into my head immediately
Can't order a tank to fire one shot of smoke - he fires all his smoke shells in the 60 second phase
The most infuriating for me and it destroys the "real world tactics" point - you can't aim at an enemy unit on the second floor of a building because you can't see the base of that building

Yep agree but there are some workarounds that help this problem (but dont solve them)

I give the tanks a 30 to 45 second pause command before firing smoke.  Prevents using it all up in the 60 second WEGO turn and adjust my other troops command accordingly (actually I usually just wait until the next turn starts by that time the smoke had just fired and not fully developed and then give infantry the move/assault commands etc).
Enemy on second floor on a base not spotted building is a nightmare (really breaks my immersive feel of the game).  Options in descending preference - Check LOS to see where base of building can be seen and move there - not optimal but best results - Put infantry on face and fire arc command with the arc just targeting the building - then need to trust that the AI will reaction fire faster when they "spot" troops on the second floor  - indirect arty fire on point command hope to score enough hits to drop the building or suppress it enough.

Con

[sandman2575]

Yeah, some of the LOS issues in CM can be pretty infuriating. My other pet peeves include the inability to direct infantry to lob grenades (you can do it with smoke grenades, so why not the others?). Most of all, the ridiculous deadliness of unbuttoning. Unbuttoning as a tank commander, or manning a half-track MG, is a death sentence in CM. And I'm not talking about unbuttoning / using MG in obviously dangerous, close-quarters situations. Anywhere. If there are enemies within a km of an unbuttoned tank commander, they will infallibly start shooting at him, often with sniper-like precision. And TC reacts far too slowly. Argh!!

[acctingman]

Thank you all for the comments  O0

I'm going to give the demo another go. I mean really put some time into it. After that I'll figure out if I want to take the plunge. In the meantime, I think I'll buy BA2. LOVED the first one and it suits my casual play style. Also, I have yet to fire up JTCS. Maybe I need to sink my teeth in that some before I move onto a bigger monster!  :bd:

[Pete Dero]

In case you haven't watched these :

Armchair General CMBN Tutorials

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCD7D720F4A4B4364

Part 1 of 6

[acctingman]

Thanks Pete, I have watched those. Great videos. Watching them is what makes me all pumped up to try the demo again! 

[Barthheart]

Have you ever tried Panzer Command: Ostfront?

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=855

Similar to Combat Mission, but based on a miniatures rules set. Plan yer orders and go.

Not many CM players like it for some reason, like it's ever going to replace it  ::), but I like it. Straight forward UI. It's a fun set of scenarios and there was lots of user made stuff for it.

[JasonPratt]

Plus, Ostfront has at least one dynamic campaign.  O0

[Tuna]

Also check out John Tiller Panzer Battles demo. More tactical than PC, and seems like a scale I can really enjoy!

[sandman2575]

+1 for PzCommand Ostfront. Yes, the graphics are pretty dated by this point -- a lot closer to that screenshot of Combat Mission above than to current-day CMx2 -- but it is indeed a very good game. And it features something that I haven't seen in comparable games: Barbarossa-centered campaigns set in '41 and early '42 (pre "Fall Blau"). I really like this and wish CMx2 and Graviteam Tactics would move in this direction historically.

[acctingman]

Have you ever tried Panzer Command: Ostfront?

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=855

Similar to Combat Mission, but based on a miniatures rules set. Plan yer orders and go.

Not many CM players like it for some reason, like it's ever going to replace it  ::), but I like it. Straight forward UI. It's a fun set of scenarios and there was lots of user made stuff for it.

Does this game have a less steep learning curve than CMx2?

Are there mods for PC: Ostfront?

[RyanE]

If you are going to invest the time, you might as well stick with CM.  Nothing wrong with Panzer Command per se, but its not that much easier than CM to learn.  I play(ed) CM2 and PC a lot and can't see puttng yourself through the learning curve of a dead end game, when CM2 is still support.

Seeing as the intellectual effort and time is a concern, my suggestion is sticking with BA.  Its a lot simpler and results are probably not far off being reasonable.  Just doesn't look as realistic.  But if that's not a concern, stick with it.

[JasonPratt]

Does this game have a less steep learning curve than CMx2?

Are there mods for PC: Ostfront?

My impression is yes, a less steep learning curve than CMx2. A free demo can be downloaded from Matrix Games, so you can try for yourself!

Don't know about mods, but the game was built to be massively mod-able, and customizable. So, I expect so.